


The Enticing Palace Vaults

by haissitall



Series: Dream the Robin Hood VS Techno The King AU [5]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen, the summary is vague because i try not to spoil anything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haissitall/pseuds/haissitall
Summary: Dream, a thief with a heart of gold, recklessly gets himself into trouble involving the king, Technoblade. His friends, however, do not entirely approve of his behavior.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Dave | Technoblade
Series: Dream the Robin Hood VS Techno The King AU [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872373
Comments: 35
Kudos: 481





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> the title is a reference to the song from the soviet cartoon Бременские музыканты. don't mind it lmao
> 
> reading [this work](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25808053) is highly recommended before reading this one.  
> ([this](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25754926) and [this one](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26138233) will help you understand it better too, but are not required.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yep, that's right, those of you who've read the previous work in the series: Dream lived, he's fine

As far as traps go, this one was pretty basic, if you ask him. A suspiciously wealthy coach with no convoy moving through notoriously dangerous parts of the woods? Come on. Dream knew something was fishy about it the moment he saw it - and attacked it anyway. Because it seemed like everyone had kind of given up on trying to capture him, and he was in the dire need of a good old daring escape on these lovely but boring last days of spring. George and Sapnap probably felt it too and didn’t argue much, only maybe rolled their eyes a little bit.

So yes, it was a trap. They were outnumbered and surrounded, standard stuff, but Dream was intrigued to meet his captor, so he surrendered. You see, the uniforms were weird - they were definitely from their neighbouring, dependant kingdom, and he was interested in why anyone from there would need to capture and/or kill him.

The answer was presented sooner than he expected. A tall, awkwardly teenage guy with a jumpy gait and curly hay hair pushed away his men to come up to Dream, standing with a few swords pressed to his throat.

“See?! That was so easy! What the hell are Techno’s men doing, they say they couldn’t get him for years! It’s just another proof I would be a better king, honestly. So know, thief,” he referred to Dream in a very dramatic manner, “that you were captured by none other than Prince Tommy.”

“Seems to me your knights did all the capturing,” Dream said.

“Oh, but I planned this. This wouldn’t have worked without my brains behind it. But you must be asking yourself why I've set this ingenious trap for you.”

Dream couldn’t help but smile, seeing how excited Tommy was. “Do tell.”

“You see, Techno’s birthday is soon, and I thought, what should I give him as a present?” he started rambling. “So I obviously went and asked his second - after me - best friend Wilbur for advice, and he told me Techno hadn't been feeling like himself for months. Wilbur's songs do not entertain him, he speaks to people even less than usual - which probably means he just doesn’t speak to them at all now - and he’s even granted pardons to some criminals instead of just taking their heads, which doesn't sound like our Techno at all.”

Taken aback by the stream of information, Dream could only utter: “Okay?”

“So I asked, was there a reason for this? And then Wilbur said it seemed like Techno was sulking because he was missing some famous thief guy in green tights!”

“They're not tights,” muttered Dream. “They are just good for running.”

“And so I was like, that's my present right there,” ignored him Tommy, engrossed in his tale, “I'll just capture this guy and bring him to Techno to cheer him up. As any good cousin and friend would do! I don't know who these people are though,” he looked at George and Sapnap, “so I guess I'll just kill them.”

A guard pressed his blade to George’s throat a bit too aggressively, and he screamed, more annoyed than scared: “Dream!”

Dream took out his knife, hidden up the sleeve, and ran it into the guard’s thigh. It was a signal for his friends, and they started fighting their captors: Sapnap elbowed a guy right on his nose, George forcefully stepped on a foot, and Dream, managing to pull his sword out of a guard’s scabbard (what absolute amateurs!), went for Tommy. He grabbed him and held tightly, putting a blade under his chin. The guards stopped and dropped their weapons, afraid for the prince’s life.

Now, Dream initially did this to make their getaway more smooth. Because sure, he was needed alive, but Tommy was ready to execute George and Sapnap on the spot - amateurs or not, they were to fight against superior numbers, and even Dream couldn’t take that risk. However, in the wake of inspiration, dragging Tommy literally screaming and kicking, he said loudly:

“Tell Technoblade, Tommy will live if he comes to meet me alone. He knows the spot.”

Sometimes Dream couldn’t really tell if he had a stroke of genius or something on the opposite. Now, when he was dragging a teenager who screamed all kinds of obscenities at him through the woods, was one of those times.

“You masked scumbag! You green bastard!” Tommy growled and tried biting his hand, but it didn’t do much damage. “Techno will chop you up for this!”

“Didn’t you say he missed me?” hissed Dream, hiding how much the bite actually hurt. Tommy had good sharp teeth, he’ll give him that.

“I dunno, Wilbur said it. God, what if it was just one of his jokes? That would actually be so embarassing.”

Dream could agree: he didn’t want this to turn out to be a joke. The prospect of Technoblade missing him so much he had a depressive episode almost a year after they talked for like fifteen minutes? Tommy said he sulked for months. What impact Dream must’ve made! It made him feel so much better about his own feelings. Like, sure, he once researched how pigs’ vision works to see if he can use the knowledge in a fight, but he didn’t sulk! They have good hearing too, pigs, by the way, so sneak attacks would probably not work.

“Sorry, Dream, but you kind of outdid yourself,” said Sapnap, walking beside him, “Are we kidnapping kids now? And for what?”

“Who did you call a kid?!” said Tommy, ignored.

“Did you do this just to get another stupid duel to prove that you are better than him?” Sapnap continued.

“No, I-”

“Don’t go,” said George, who’d been completely silent throughout the walk, seriously, “Let’s just release the boy and get this over with.”

“Didn’t you hear what he said?” said Dream, feeling backed into a corner. “The king’s cousin wanted to make me his birthday present! I think I need a word with him.”

“So you’re making yourself a birthday present voluntarily?” Sapnap sighed, “George’s right. This is stupid, Technoblade had nothing to do with this. The kid learned his lesson. You learned your lesson, right?”

Tommy was quiet for the first second on this journey and then said: “Uh, you guys seem to be talking about some kind of drama I don’t really understand, but if you want to let me go, let’s not do it right now, because we’re in the middle of the woods, and I have literally no idea where we are.”

They stopped. Dream released Tommy’s arm from his grip and they all stood in an awkward circle.

“A little trust in your leader, okay?” said Dream, “We have a leverage on the king! I can negotiate… stuff.”

“You just want to fight him again because you are obsessed,” snapped out George. That probably sounded harsher than he wanted, so he fell silent and crossed his arms defensively.

Dream snorted in frustration. Obsessed. He wouldn’t call himself obsessed, that was a completely wrong word. Interested, maybe. Interested in getting another fight with him, interested in getting that adrenalin from having a worthy opponent, kinda interested in just seeing him again, interested in talking to him and hearing that emotionless sarcastic voice, interested in looking into his dark blue eyes with a constant touch of sadness somewhere in their center. So no, not obsessed.

“Okay, I’ll just go talk to him at, like, safe distance and explain that we released Tommy and don’t hold a grudge so he doesn’t unleash his whole army on us. Deal?”

George and Sapnap nodded hesitantly.

“All right by me, but you can’t call me Tommy, though,” Tommy cut in, “it’s Your Highness, ‘cause I’m a prince, and you are some thieving scum.”

“You guys are responsible for getting Tommy back to his parents,” said Dream and walked away, hearing Tommy’s loud cursing thrown in his direction.

The meeting spot in question was, of course, the dead end by the road where they first met. And of course, Technoblade figured it out - soon enough Dream heard stomping hooves and saw him getting off the horse and approaching with his sword bared. The same dry weather in a lush green forest. The same bright-red uniform, the same heavy riding boots. Dream involuntarily smiled under the mask.

“Hello,” he said, moving away from the tree he leaned on. “I’m sorry I kidnapped your cousin, it was kind of a spontaneous decision…”

Technoblade looked at him with an unreadable stare, jaw clenched tightly, back unnaturally straight. “It’s really you.” He stood there, as if processing something big, and then said: “You chose quite a conversation starter.”

“I know, right?” Dream laughed, “And you came so fast. Are you excited to see me? I’ve heard you've been missing me.”

Technoblade came closer, and Dream drew his sword as casually as possible, unnerved by the one in Technoblade’s hand. They said their goodbyes on a friendly note last time, sure, but who knew what was going on this hog’s head. It didn’t seem like he was particularly happy. Dream expected him to be in a more cheerful mood, if he’s being honest.

"You threatened the life of one of my few remaining close relatives to make me come here."

“Well, if you put it like that… You make me sound kinda evil,” Dream tried laughing it off.

“It’s because it is!”

Dream didn’t think he ever heard Technoblade raise his voice, and he was so surprised he nearly missed the first blow. Swords rang, crossed, and Dream stumbled back, failing every counter-attack: Technoblade was as strong and precise as ever, but this time he seemed to be able to predict his every move, as if he fought him a thousand times. Pushed to the trees, Dream tried to reach for the branch and nearly lost his hand; tried rolling and got punched in the face. The mask didn’t crack, but there surely would be a dent.

Dream hastily retreated to the woods, trying not to turn his back to Technoblade. He walked backwards, glancing back from time to time so not to bump into a tree.

“So you’ve been training.”

“Hired a bunch of circus acrobats to jump around me at the fighting practice,” said Technoblade, and it was impossible to tell if he was joking or not.

They clashed again. Dream regretted his decision to move deeper into the forest: Technoblade constantly tried to pin him to a tree, and Dream had no chance of even thinking of doing the same to him. Dream circled around trunks of oaks, finding himself more and more in the state of running away. Once he got a chance for an attack, it ended in a disaster: he missed, sword got stuck in a bark, and Technoblade seized the opportunity. He punched him again, Dream lost his grip and was pushed back from his weapon.

The nose started bleeding and staining the inside of the mask. Dream frantically climbed the closest tree, up by two brunches, where Technoblade couldn't reach him.

“Okay, I lost,” he said, panting heavily, “We’ll count this one as a loss. The score is one to two.”

“Do you think I’m playing a game with you? You threatened my family,” he responded and added matter-of-factly: “I’m going to kill you.”

“Come on, you know I wouldn’t actually hurt your cousin! I’ve already let him go, my friends are leading him to safety.”

“How am I supposed to know that?”

Technoblade stepped back from the tree. Dream sighed quietly. He had a point. They didn’t actually know each other, Technoblade didn’t actually know _him_ : they fought twice and then danced waltz a little - not a very solid foundation for trusting someone with the life of your family member.

“I don’t kill people,” said Dream earnestly.

“I do.”

Turns out, Technoblade had stepped back because he needed to get some space to run up to the tree. He grabbed the lowest branch, pulled himself up and cut the one Dream was standing on with a powerful swing.

Okay, now it was really time to run. Dream jumped down and went for another oak immediately, climbed and jumped to another. Technoblade followed him on the ground, the red spot in the corner of his eye. After substantial time spent being chased, Dream could only be amazed by his persistence: Technoblade consistently stayed on him. God, Dream must’ve really pissed him off with the “threatening Tommy” thing. He had no idea.

Jump, swing, another jump. Dream was out of his usual luck today: the branch couldn’t support him and cracked, he had to hold onto another and hang on it. It wouldn’t have been a problem in any other situation, but he was in for an unpleasant surprise: Technoblade turned out to be even closer than he thought and grabbed his ankle.

“Leave me alone!” Dream yelled, hitting his head with his free foot, kind of only annoying him by this.

Technoblade tried to yank him down like some sort of a naughty cat. Dream clinged to the branch tightly. Technoblade had his sword though, didn’t he? He could’ve already gutted him by now.

“You can’t kill me, come on!” Dream screamed, kicking his snout in an attempt to avenge his own punched nose.

“I’ll manage, I’ve killed you before,” snapped Technoblade under his heavy breathing.

Dream didn’t get the chance to ask him, what the hell he meant by that, because they were interrupted by a loud: “Let him go and drop your sword! Now!” 

They froze and looked in the same direction. George stood there, armed with a bow, holding it with his usual well-trained grace, pointing it at Technoblade. Oh god, he must’ve followed them somehow. Dream didn’t know if he felt relieved that his friend came to save him or angry that he didn’t trust him not to get killed.

“Who’s this?” Technoblade breathed out, “Is this one of yours? He’s dressed too good, I can’t tell.”

“Yea,” said Dream. They must’ve looked so awkward right now: Dream hanging on a branch, Technoblade still holding him by his ankle. “We’re kind of in the middle of something, George, I’m fine!”

“Let him go and drop your sword,” repeated George menacingly, slowly approaching Technoblade. Oh god, he was actually serious. A cold tingling of panic suddenly rushed through Dream’s body.

“You won’t shoot me,” Technoblade responded.

“Wanna bet, Your Majesty?” spitted out George and shot him in the leg.

Technoblade grunted, let go of the sword and fell on one knee. Dream jumped down, kneeled next to him and hurried to look at the wound. “George! Why the hell did you do this?!” He glanced at Technoblade gritting his teeth, his chest rising and falling, clearly trying not to scream. “Oh god, I’m so sorry.”

“He would’ve killed you-!” said George angrily. “Ugh. Whatever, let’s go.”

“We can’t leave him here!”

The thick leather of the boot clearly saved the leg from the worst, but the arrow still went dangerously deep. Technoblade grabbed Dream’s shoulder with a grip of steel, and managed to growl: “It’s fine.”

“We’re taking you with us,” decided Dream.

“No, we’re not,” said George, irritated. “His soldiers will find him, he’ll be fine.”

“We’re not that far from our home. Lean on me,” Dream took Technoblade’s arm and put it on his shoulder, struggling to get him on his feet.

“I’m too heavy for you,” he said with metal strings of self-control ringing in his voice.

“George will help,” said Dream categorically and looked at George.

He hesitated, his body tensed, as if struggling with itself. However, without saying a word, he took the other Technoblade’s hand and put it on his shoulder. They both helped him to stand up and started walking him to their hideout.


	2. Chapter 2

Sapnap greeted them with loud “what the hell” and “why did you drag him here”.

“Because George shot him in the leg,” snapped back Dream.

“You did? Good job,” said Sapnap to George in a flat tone. “Should've aimed for the head though.”

Dream sighed and didn’t respond. He couldn’t blame his friends for their distrust. Especially George. But he still was certain Technoblade deserved decent treatment, considering how this whole situation was Dream’s fault.

Oh god, it was all his fault. He shouldn’t have acted so recklessly, he shouldn’t have taken Tommy hostage only for the vague hope of seeing Technoblade again, he shouldn’t have attacked the coach-trap in the first place, for that matter. And now the fearsome king was lying in their cave with the arrow in his leg. Cause and effect be damned.

Dream carefully sliced the boot with a knife.

“Have you done this before?” Technoblade asked.

“I have. Once. I mean, I saw someone else do it. On me, so I know how it feels on your end.”

“That’s reassuring,” he said, absolutely calm, as if he was actually reassured.

Technoblade acted incredibly stoic through the whole procedure of getting the arrow out of his leg, and Dream wasn’t surprised. The most extreme reaction he allowed himself was heavy breathing and concentrated, heavy stare, as if he willed the pain to stop. To be honest, Dream wouldn’t be surprised he could actually do that. Dream was sweating and took the mask off, wiping his forehead, most probably staining it with Technoblade’s blood.

“Your nose,” he somehow noticed. “You’re bleeding.”

Dream assured him that he was fine and reached for a cloth to bandage the leg.

George and Sapnap helped a little by bringing some water and needed instruments, but otherwise stayed out of it, maybe intimidated by Technoblade, maybe indifferent to his fate. Now they stood outside the cave, talking about something quietly. Dream sighed heavily. They would understand. They have to understand.

“Well, I did all I could,” Dream gave him his most reassuring smile, tightening the bandages. “Sorry again, I didn’t know George would follow me, and I shouldn’t have threatened you with Tommy’s life. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know you would-”

“It’s fine,” he said, sitting up next to Dream on this messy bed of rags and furs. Somehow this one small sentence said with such calmness made Dream almost sigh with relief. “I might have overreacted too, I just didn’t know what to think. Why did you kidnap him?”

“Kinda thought it would be fun to fight you again,” said Dream, hiding his eyes, looking at their modest refuge. It seemed a bit wretched now that the king himself was here: a small cave with three beds in different corners with a campfire in the middle. A bit embarrassing even.

Technoblade also looked around, glancing at everything with a tenacious sight. “Is this your bed we’re sitting on?”

Dream nodded.

“So these are all your books?” he pointed at uneven piles of books lying around his corner, surrounding it, like a fortress. “Why would you need them?”

“To read, why else?” laughed Dream.

“You can read?” he sounded genuinely surprised.

“Yea. I really like it, it’s, like, my favourite pastime, actually. I steal books usually, but I try to return them, I just don’t always remember where I stole them from, so that’s a problem”

Technoblade took a minute to take in the news. They sat for a bit, calming themselves down. They’d just had a long intense chase through the forest, then Dream had to practically drag Technoblade, which was also an extremely physically challenging task, and then took an arrow out of his leg. It was nice to just sit for a minute, shoulder to shoulder, listening to each other’s breathing.

“Do you choose what books to steal?” asked Technoblade. “Do you have preferences?”

“Yeah, naturally! I like mystery. And adventure.”

“Don’t you have enough of that in your life already?” he chuckled.

“Life’s different,” smiled Dream. “It’s not just. There won’t be a nice bow at the end of the story. The hero, like, won’t get the princess and stuff. Also my life wasn’t always adventurous like that, you know.”

“When it wasn’t adventurous, what was it then?”

Dream fell silent. What was he supposed to do now, tell him the story of his life? About the nice, prosperous, boring household he so ungratefully abandoned for a dim cave in the woods?

“It just wasn’t as fun as it is now,” he said evasively. “Or as hard.”

Technoblade either picked up on his queue of not wanting to talk about the past or got everything he needed to know and said plainly: “I love books too. I haven’t read proper stories for a while though, mostly historical things.”

“Oh, I have some good ones, I can give you-”

“I have what is maybe the largest library in the kingdom,” laughed Technoblade. “Did you forget I was the king for a minute there?”

Maybe he did, actually. It turned out to be so easy to forget at that moment, just the two of them, talking about books. The wish to forget for longer stung Dream ever so slightly.

Technoblade yawned. Dream got to see his razor-sharp teeth and dangerously looking tusks and to wonder again why he doesn’t use them in battle. Courtesy, probably. He can do serious damage with these. “Is it that herb you gave me?”

“Oh, yeah-yeah, it’s fine, you can lie down-”

Technoblade had already dozed off, leaning on the wall of the cave, eyes closed, breathing calmly, laying his head on the chest. Dream gently pushed him onto the bed. He didn't even get him out of his military coat, so he looked like a soldier taking a worrisome nap, hands nervously crossed on his chest.

Technoblade flapped his ears unconsciously, and Dream barely suppressed a loud wheeze. He never saw him do that! It was kind of cute, his big ears flapping like that. Are they soft? Does he like being pet? What if he scratched behind his ear- No. If today had taught Dream anything, it’s that sometimes unnecessary risks were not worth it. Technoblade would probably bite his hand off.

Dream got on his feet and went out of the cave, lifting the thick curtain at the entrance. The forest breathed with chilly wind, reminding that it was almost evening already. George was tying some weapons together and packing them into a bag.

“Where’s Sapnap?” Dream approached him.

“Went to see if _he_ ’s being searched for,” muttered George, eyes down. “Which he certainly is.”

“Hey,” Dream collected himself, “I know you have your very valid reasons to dislike him-”

“To dislike him?” He looked at him with this desperate, painful expression. “I hate him, Dream! Because he’s a tyrant. A bloody. Tyrant. I cannot believe you let yourself forget that.”

“Look, I know, but he’s not some kind of monster. I talked to him, he’s conflicted-”

“He wasn’t conflicted when he gave orders to-!” George cut himself off, gritting his teeth bitterly. “You are so easy to smitten,” he continued quietly. “He considers you worthy to be his punching bag - and you are at his feet. And now we have to abandon our base, our home, because you dragged the man who had my family murdered-” his voice changed a pitch, and he had to stop himself. He turned away and tied a knot around arrows with angry strength.

Dream’s heart was like a million of tiny shards scratching the inside of his chest. He acted like a selfish fool, he didn’t realize George would feel so betrayed.

“George,” he laid his hand on his shoulder, feeling it shaking slightly, “I’m sorry. You deserve a better leader. You deserve a better friend.”

“I just-” He touched his hand and looked at him. They both breathed in and out, calming down a bit, holding their hands together, feeling their warmth. “I hope you know what you’re doing and I hope you know what you want.” He rubbed his palm comfortingly and let go.

Dream stepped back and went to the small stream nearby. The water was ice cold as he washed his hands in it and then rubbed his face with strong, heavy motions. The nose was painful to touch, and it felt like it was swallen too. His reflection was barely visible in the lively stream. He rubbed his eyes once more, hoping to clear his mind with the fresh coldness of clean water.

What did he want. To live in a book, probably, where evil kings are always evil and do not flap their ears when they sleep.

All right. He needed to go back to their cave to help George pack.

There, Technoblade was sitting again and browsing one of the books with calm interest.

“When did you wake up?” asked Dream.

“Oh, I heard you guys discussing me while sleeping, so I willed myself to wake up and eavesdropped,” he said. Joking or not - Dream had no idea.

Dream picked up the mask, put it back on and started collecting things he considered useful in silence. If Technoblade heard their conversation, he didn’t have a lot to tell him after that. What could he say? “You did not become feared for nothing”? Technoblade knew that better than anyone else. 

Or maybe he was joking and didn’t hear anything.

“So your friends don’t wear masks,” he said, “but you do.”

“It looks cool,” Dream shook his shoulders neutrally, busy collecting all the small bottles of potions they had lying around.

“It helps you to keep the alternatives open too,” he heard the measured words. “If you take it off, you will not be recognised. You could return to your unadventurous life if you wanted. Or to any life, actually.”

Dream turned to him. He was flipping through the book without reading, probably as nervous fidgeting.

“What are you saying?”

“You can come with me,” he responded, looking him in the eyes with a determined and clear look. “Maybe not right now. But I can make you a knight, or whatever you want. I’m not a stranger to adventure myself, and I will be happy to have you as my companion.”

Another life? It would be his third then. The king’s knight, accompanying him on his quests to kill another insanely dangerous magical creature threatening the kingdom. They would probably discuss books and bicker endlessly. Dream smiled sadly at his thoughts.

He didn’t have time to respond. George called him, and he had to run out of the cave. Sapnap returned and had an extremely worried look on his face.

“Listen, things are extremely serious,” he began.

Dream looked at them, standing there, clenching their weapons. Sapnap did not have the luxury to be able to take off a mask and be invited to the ball. George didn’t have the luxury to forget the king was the king for a minute.

“Lord Soot leads them, they are going through the forest, they have cavalry, torches, bloodhounds, everything.”

And George and Sapnap were his friends.

“Dream, what do we do?” asked George.

And George and Sapnap relied on him.

Dream breathed in and shook his head, focusing. This wasn't a game, this wasn't an exciting episode where he will be pardoned by an evil king turned good by his friendship. Their lives were at stake. The king was although an unwilling, but a tyrant nonetheless. “We go east, for the river,” Dream said firmly. “There are places with extreme thickets, and the water will throw off our scent.”

“All right,” agreed Sapnap.

“Just wait for a second, I need to… pick up something…”

Dream ran back to Technoblade, kneeled beside him to be at the same eye level.

“Your friends are coming,” he said reassuringly.

“I heard Wilbur is there? You really should run.”

“Listen, what you said, it’s an honor-”

“You have your men to lead,” Technoblade took his hand and squeezed it a little. The same pleasant white glove on the palm bigger than Dream's. “You can think about my proposal later. Please do.”

“I dunno about thinking,” he shook his head, “Maybe I’ll dream about it though.” What the hell. It was a goodbye after all. Dream raised his mask and planted a slight kiss on the narrow fuzzy forehead before jumping to his feet and running out into the darkening forest.

*******

The sun was exceptionally bright on the morning of the first day of summer. Its beams crept on the eloquent parquet, played in the crystals of the chandelier, glew in the golden buttons of the waistcoat. Techno fixed his bright white cravat with a habitual movement, standing in front of the mirror. He reached for the coat, but then noticed something behind the window - something was on the balustrade of his balcony. Wait, was it there before?

He still limped a little, which frustrated him a lot. The doctors said he healed fast - he did have thick skin, but he would’ve preferred to heal overnight to be able to return to his training hall. Phil and Wilbur made such a fuss about the wound and barred him from any physical activities. They should relax, really - it was only an arrow.

He came up to the glass door of the balcony and stepped out to the fresh morning air. He squinted, blinded by the sun and the bright greens of the garden below.

The thing on the balustrade turned out to be a book, an adventure novel with a shabby cover. Most importantly, however: there was a white mask tied to it. It had a smiling face drawn on it and it was a bit dirty and worn-out, with tiny cracks running through the porcelain-like surface and a dent on the nose. A piece of paper was attached with a text written in an uneven, but diligent handwriting. The text read:

_Happy birthday!_


End file.
